diff --git a/sdk/metrics/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelector.java b/sdk/metrics/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelector.java
index f50e2bc5676..68bce9a4c3a 100644
--- a/sdk/metrics/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelector.java
+++ b/sdk/metrics/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelector.java
@@ -32,14 +32,15 @@ static AggregationTemporalitySelector alwaysCumulative() {
    *
    * <p>{@link AggregationTemporality#DELTA} is returned for {@link InstrumentType#COUNTER}, {@link
    * InstrumentType#OBSERVABLE_COUNTER}, and {@link InstrumentType#HISTOGRAM}. {@link
-   * AggregationTemporality#CUMULATIVE} is returned for {@link InstrumentType#UP_DOWN_COUNTER} and
-   * {@link InstrumentType#OBSERVABLE_UP_DOWN_COUNTER}.
+   * AggregationTemporality#CUMULATIVE} is returned for {@link InstrumentType#UP_DOWN_COUNTER},
+   * {@link InstrumentType#OBSERVABLE_UP_DOWN_COUNTER} and {@link InstrumentType#GAUGE}.
    */
   static AggregationTemporalitySelector deltaPreferred() {
     return instrumentType -> {
       switch (instrumentType) {
         case UP_DOWN_COUNTER:
         case OBSERVABLE_UP_DOWN_COUNTER:
+        case GAUGE:
           return AggregationTemporality.CUMULATIVE;
         case COUNTER:
         case OBSERVABLE_COUNTER:
diff --git a/sdk/metrics/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelectorTest.java b/sdk/metrics/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelectorTest.java
index fb821ce388e..40ab5ce803f 100644
--- a/sdk/metrics/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelectorTest.java
+++ b/sdk/metrics/src/test/java/io/opentelemetry/sdk/metrics/export/AggregationTemporalitySelectorTest.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void deltaPreferred() {
     assertThat(selector.getAggregationTemporality(InstrumentType.OBSERVABLE_UP_DOWN_COUNTER))
         .isEqualTo(AggregationTemporality.CUMULATIVE);
     assertThat(selector.getAggregationTemporality(InstrumentType.GAUGE))
-        .isEqualTo(AggregationTemporality.DELTA);
+        .isEqualTo(AggregationTemporality.CUMULATIVE);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -96,6 +96,17 @@ void stringRepresentation() {
                 + "OBSERVABLE_COUNTER=DELTA, "
                 + "OBSERVABLE_UP_DOWN_COUNTER=CUMULATIVE, "
                 + "OBSERVABLE_GAUGE=DELTA, "
+                + "GAUGE=CUMULATIVE"
+                + "}");
+    assertThat(AggregationTemporalitySelector.asString(AggregationTemporalitySelector.lowMemory()))
+        .isEqualTo(
+            "AggregationTemporalitySelector{"
+                + "COUNTER=DELTA, "
+                + "UP_DOWN_COUNTER=CUMULATIVE, "
+                + "HISTOGRAM=DELTA, "
+                + "OBSERVABLE_COUNTER=CUMULATIVE, "
+                + "OBSERVABLE_UP_DOWN_COUNTER=CUMULATIVE, "
+                + "OBSERVABLE_GAUGE=DELTA, "
                 + "GAUGE=DELTA"
                 + "}");
   }